Secrets of the Soul
by emoly01
Summary: Since Winry and Al got married and had a kid, Ed has had a hard time relating to his family. Roy brings him on a mission, where he meets a girl... who rings alarm bells in his head. She had something to hide. T for language, and some violence


People often forget the regrets and sorrows festering in the darkest corners of the minds of others.  
The day was hot. The sun shone on Central and the people that buzzed about, minding their own business. Sweat and exhaustion hung in the air, like some sort of disease that really ought to be quarantined. The heat intensified once Ed entered the phone booth. He wiped the sweat off his brow and dialed the intended number, hoping he could get out of the stiflingly hot phone booth as soon as possible.  
The phone rang once. Twice. Three times. Halfway through the fourth, Alphonse picked up. "Elric residence," he answered cheerfully.  
"Al, its me," Ed greeted his brother, "I'm kind of in a hurry, so I'll make this quick. I have a new assignment in a small town called Rubensire or something-"  
"Rufford," Al corrected him.  
"Yeah, whatever," Ed waved off the interruption, "so I won't be able to see you and Winry and the kid-"  
"He's my son. You can call him by his name," Al chided his brother lightly.  
Ed sighed impatiently at the second interruption, and corrected himself, "Winry and Seth. Go ahead and have that party without me. I'll call you guys to let you know how I'm doing." He paused and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "How did you know where I'm going?"  
"Riza called me."  
Ed rolled his eyes. "Of course she did. Well, if you know already, then I'll talk to you later-"  
Al interrupted a third time. "Wait, brother. I want to talk to you about something." Ed squeezed his eyes shut, hoping with all his might that it would be quick and painless. He could not stand the heat, the 'are you alright?' speech, the 'you should get a girlfriend now, you're almost twenty five' speech, the 'maybe its time you took a vacation' speech, and he was very honestly in a hurry. He tugged at his pants, dark grey and boring... and so unbearably hot. Al continued, "I think you've been avoiding me." Ed threw his free hand in the air in exasperation. It was just like talking to a girl!  
Ed argued, "I have not been! I've honestly been busy."  
Al insisted, "Were you upset about Winry?"  
"You two have been married three years," Ed deadpanned, "I think I'd be over that by now even if it had upset me."  
Suddenly, Al's voice became very quiet and he inquired, "Does it involve Seth?" Ed's frown twitched in irritation. Would Al give it a rest?  
"It does not. I'm not avoiding you. I love you, Al. Why would I want to avoid my adorable, clingy little brother, his angry wrench-throwing wife, and my tactless, spoiled little brat of a nephew?" Ed asked, somehow with a straight face. He heard Al laugh richly on the other end. Al was doing good for himself. It was good. Ed, on the other hand, really had only his coworkers and his work, but he was fine with that. Human company seemed only optional, especially given how interactions with other human beings could be both awkward and frustrating. He always got along well with Al... until Al left. They were still connected where it counted, but usual interactions were... infuriating somehow.  
"Well," Al said, recovering from Ed's jab at his family, "now that I have thoroughly been insulted, can we have a real conversation? I know you too well. You've been avoiding me. You can't keep it up." Here, Ed finally dropped the act. Al was right; it was time to get serious. Outside the booth, people glared at a vehicle blaring its horn. Ed glanced at Roy impatiently glaring at him from the driver's seat. It was just too hot for this.  
"I really do have to go," Ed told his brother hurriedly, "My research is going well. Let's hope I don't get hurt on this investigation."  
"Wait, brother! We need to talk!"  
"I know, Al. Sometime later, okay? Bye!"  
"Wait!"  
Ed placed the phone back and sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck and thought about that conversation. Can we have a real conversation? You've been avoiding me. "I most certainly can keep this up," Ed muttered, and left the booth after a moment's hesitation. He wondered if Al had something actually important to say. Maybe they didn't connect where it counted anymore. Ed pushed those thoughts out of his head as he trekked across the street and hopped into the passenger seat.  
Roy revved the engine and pushed on the gas. "You should really have a proper conversation with him one of these days. How can he apologize if he doesn't know you're even upset?"  
Ed shrugged, his eyes glued on the passing buildings. "He doesn't need to apologize."  
Roy hummed in response. With the windows rolled down and the vehicle moving, a wind rushed by their faces. It was a much enjoyed relief from the heat of the day. Neither of them spoke for quite a while, even as they left the city, and passed through the countryside. It had been eleven in the morning when Ed had made his call. It was nearly two in the afternoon by the time they spoke again.  
"You still haven't told me what we're investigating," Ed reminded Roy.  
Roy, after leaving city traffic and the heat, was in a much better mood, and even grinned his usual smug grin at Ed. "Wouldn't you like to know, shorty?" An angry red vein appeared on Ed's forehead, but he didn't comment on the jab at his height.  
Instead, he added, "You also haven't told me why we have to take the automobile."  
Still smugly grinning, Roy replied, "You bet, shrimp." Ed crossed his arms moodily. Roy glanced at the blond. His expression did not change, but he wondered what was with Ed's attitude. "You hear this from everyone, I'm sure," he said without prompt, "but you need a break, Fullmetal. A girlfriend, or even a vacation would really help." Ed sent a sharp glare his way, to which he only continued to smile. "But honestly, I know you aren't going to take anyone's advice. I really only want to know one thing."  
Ed's glare lessened in rage and intensity, and erred on caution. "What?"  
"I want to know what you work for," Roy said. "You work, eat, and sleep. To what purpose?" He sent Ed a sly glance, and caught Ed turning to look back out the window. The gesture meant the kid was becoming thoughtful, and was at least pondering the question. It meant nothing in terms of whether or not Roy was going to get an answer. Roy continued, "You used to have such a noble goal. To save your brother's body, restore him. Your own body was secondary, and you weren't restored, which was absolutely selfless and noble." By his tone, it was obvious part of this statement was teasing, and hardly any of it was actual praise, but none of it was sarcastic. "I just don't know what your goals are anymore. You're much..." he hesitated here, and let his smile fall into a soft frown, "...different when you aren't straightforwardly trying to attain something."  
Ed let all this soak in. He knew it already, but now even Colonel Bastard was butting into his personal life... Yeah, things had changed, and Ed knew he had grown up, but growing up wasn't enough for everyone. Even himself. Ed chewed on his thumbnail absently.  
He mumbled at last, more to himself than Roy, "I guess I'm just looking for my place in the world." He scowled as he realized just how true that was. He no longer felt like he belonged in Alphonse's household, and his only reason for research was an academic curiosity. He could always reach for, in his research, a way to restore his body or his alchemic abilities, but he had no intentions of dealing with the Gate ever again, and he couldn't use alchemy to help him anyway. Goals and desires just seemed to elude him.  
Despite his mumbling, and whoever Ed intended to hear it, Roy heard it as well. Indeed, it made sense. Alphonse, as Hughes had been, was a family man, trying to support a family. Roy himself was trying to climb the ranks to make a difference in the world. Havoc was still always concerned about getting a girlfriend. Ed didn't really want any of that, but he wasn't exactly comfortable where he was either. He just needed to find his own way. No one could really control that but Ed.  
"A pity," Roy observed quietly, smirk dancing on his lips yet again. He glanced at Ed again, and found the kid was asleep. Roy's smirk widened. "He's still a kid, I guess."

"I hate you."  
"Say no more! There is no need to thank me, Fullmetal. I knew you really wanted to-"  
"Just shut up and bring me back to Central, you bastard."  
Roy grinned at Ed, more than happy to help the kid out, even if Ed didn't think the same way. Ed continued to glare death at his superior officer. There simply was no excuse for Roy to go behind his back to do this to him. Their staring match lasted several long moments, in which nothing happened. Ed seethed, and Roy smiled. "It was on the way to the worksite," Roy said at last. "We need to stop somewhere for the night."  
Ed snapped, "I can camp. Or sleep in the car."  
Roy chuckled and replied, "Fret no more! There is a house in front of us that will most certainly allow us to stay the night."  
"It's Winry's and Al's house," Ed growled, his scowl deepening. Somehow neither of their gazes had broken the stare-down. Roy agreed with a cheerful hum. Ed narrowed his eyes. "You've been suspiciously... happy. You can't enjoy my misery that much." Roy shrugged, still grinning. Ed folded his arms and exhaled loudly. "Fine, we'll stay the night," he grumbled, looking back out the window, "but I don't want anymore funny business. After this we go straight to the worksite, finish our job efficiently, and immediately go back to Central without stopping here on the way back."  
"Whatever you say, Fullmetal," Roy agreed gladly without listening, "Just remember who has fiery destruction at their disposal." This earned another glare, but Roy hopped out of the car and admired the view of grassy plains, golden in the sunlight. The sight was interrupted by Ed's visage stomping by, with a large scowl in place. Roy followed leisurely with his hands in his pockets.  
The two military personnel stood on the quaint porch, both in civilian attire. Ed knocked roughly on the door. Immediately, a loud crash and a squeal assaulted their ears. "It's Uncle Ed! Uncle Ed! Uncle Ed, ma!" Ed gave up on his planned claim that no one was home. He sighed, and the door opened wide. No one stood at eye-level, so Ed looked down and raised an eyebrow at the child.  
Blue eyes with intricate silver mazes, a blond crew cut, round cheeks, and a delicate nose. Definitely Al's and Winry's son. "Uncle Ed, ma said to let you in." Despite this announcement from the toddler, the child did not move out of Ed's way, or open the door wider to make more room. Ed waited patiently.  
"Can I come in, then?" he asked after a long moment.  
Seth blinked, and replied, "If you want."  
Ed blinked back. "So move." Seth's eyebrows pulled together, as if he was conflicted. Suddenly, Winry appeared at the door, the same as ever. Young, oil on her face, hair up, wrench in hand. She smiled widely at Roy and Ed, and looked down at Seth.  
"Go tell daddy that Ed's here, okay?" she suggested kindly.  
"Dad said he was busy, but okay," Seth murmured with a shrug and a frank expression. He scurried off up the squeaky stairs.  
Winry smiled and apologized, "Sorry, I had to clean up a little. Come in, boys." She stepped aside, and the two military personnel stepped inside. Winry closed the door behind them, while Ed immediately made himself at home and sat on the couch across from the fireplace. "Please sit," she snapped irritably at Ed, who sneered back.  
Roy interjected gladly, "Don't mind if I do." He sat down on the opposite side Ed sat at. He could still feel the residue anger radiating off of Ed, making the air around him radioactive, so he decided to keep a good distance in case he pulled a fast one. Winry seated herself closer to the fireplace, still relatively happy. Before any of them could make conversation, Seth shambled downstairs loudly, and took his place right between Roy and Ed, diffusing the stale air.  
"How long are you staying, Uncle Ed?" Seth asked curiously. "Last time you only stayed for one game of chess with dad."  
"I think I'm just staying the night, kiddo," Ed answered with an apologetic smile, "I have work to do in the morning." Seth sighed in a disappointed manner, but he perked up immediately as he heard the stairs creak. Ed turned and found Al standing at the bottom of the stairs with a wide smile. He got taller again, Ed realized first. Al looked the same as usual, earnest smile, grey eyes, shaven perfectly, and toned the same way Ed was. Where Ed lacked height, Al lacked color in his skin. He was perfectly pale.  
Seth grinned and greeted his father, "Hey, dad! Uncle Ed's hear."  
Al answered, "I heard." He turned his still entirely earnest eyes to Ed. "For how long?"  
"Just the night," Ed told him with a nonchalant shrug, "I hope it isn't a bother."  
"None at all," Winry and Al both proclaimed in unison. They turned mildly surprised glances at each other and laughed. Al turned to Roy, and asked, "How's it going, Colonel?" So the night continued with soft conversation drifting, Seth generally content to sit between Roy and Ed and do absolutely nothing but listen. Ed also didn't speak much, unless directly spoken to, so Roy and Al and Winry did most of the talking. It was nice to catch up, but it wasn't fair since Ed caught up on Al's life, but since Ed didn't speak, Al was informed of nearly nothing.  
Soon after their arrival, Winry served dinner, and then Seth was sent to bed. The kid didn't complain, or argue. He just turned to Ed and said, "Bye, Uncle Ed. I miss you." This was promptly followed by a hug, and then the boy disappeared up the stairs. Ed didn't respond, and tried his hardest not to draw attention to his frustrated flush.  
After Winry was relatively sure Seth was asleep, she went to show Roy their room. There was only one guest room, but neither of the military personnel cared if they shared a room. Regardless, that left Ed and Al alone in the living room again. It was silent for quite a few minutes.  
"About that call today," Al said, finally breaking the silence.  
Ed yawned, and looked down at his wrist, feigning exhaustion. "Goodness, look at the time. I have a busy day tomorrow, I should go get some rest." He stood, and pretended to stretch before he began to approach the stairs.  
Al whispered, "You're being a lousy brother."  
Ed stopped and flashed a smile. "I never claimed I was anything else."  
Al's eyebrows furrowed, and Ed immediately saw the resemblance in Seth. "Brother, please listen to me. Let's talk. I know something is bothering you."  
"There's nothing bothering me," Ed groaned, slapping his hand to his face, the way he would have if he'd been on the phone and Al couldn't see him. Al watched this behavior curiously. "Even if there was some extremely disturbing recurring thought I had, I doubt there would be anything you could do to dispel it. It would be my business." Ed shook his head and met Al's worried gaze.  
"It's even more obvious in person," Al observed quietly.  
Ed rolled his eyes, and turned to face Al directly. "Don't you have a wife and kid who you dedicated your life to? We were really close, Al, and we still can be. Part of that is understanding boundaries, right? Let me do my own thing, and we can get along fine. If there's nothing that bothers you that honestly concerns me, please let me know." He sighed. "Until then, can I figure out my own life before you try to solve it for me?"  
Al met his gaze firmly. "Sure, brother. If that's what you want." Ed relaxed, and let his shoulders drop. As he turned to the stairs to find the guest room, Al said, "We miss you. Seth especially. He really looks up to you for some unfathomable reason. I wish you'd stop by more. Even Winry does." Ed turned, and smirked.  
"If I stopped by more often, it would make my visits a little less special, I think," he observed. "And I'd hate to destroy Seth's expectations of me, since I'm really just a handsome bookworm now, instead of a hero and an alchemic prodigy." Al laughed quietly. They both knew Ed was anything but insecure about who he was or his image. Ed smiled fondly at Al's laughing visage. "Honestly, though, Al," Ed said, dropping his smile, "I'm just not comfortable here. You have a family. Our relationship... It was formed over some very traumatic things. You've moved on." Ed shrugged. "I haven't. I don't belong in this warm, loving family when all I can metaphorically bring to the table are..." he grimaced and finished, "cynical things."  
Al smiled widely at his brother. "Thanks for telling me, at least. Go get some sleep."  
"Finally!" Ed exclaimed, "Sometimes you can be such a girl, Al!" The two of them laughed gently for a moment, and Ed scrambled up the stairway so he could get some more sleep. It wasn't like he'd slept half the day away in the car or anything...

Ed rested his chin on his hand, and stared out the window. Visible dark circles clung to his eyes. Roy glanced at Ed from his position behind the wheel. "You're unusually quiet," he commented. Ed grunted, but didn't give away much more. The car continued to roll, the engine rumbling. Roy kept sending sly glances at Ed. They hadn't been able to leave the house without a large breakfast and a prolonged farewell, in which Al thanked Ed for opening up to him. They both understood that Ed wouldn't stop his behavior; it only comforted Al to know why Ed was behaving so in the first place.  
It was mid morning, and Ed had not spoken a word since Roy found him wide awake at six that morning and working out. "It's a beautiful day out," Roy observed. Ed grunted again. The sarcastic retort never came. Of course it was a nice day out. There were absolutely no clouds, and it was still somehow chilly enough to create a fine mist off in the endless fields of grass. So maybe it was a little earlier than mid morning.  
After several more moments of silence, Ed spoke without prompt. "Thanks, you prick." Roy grinned widely at the insult, but didn't reply. He just kept driving. He didn't need to talk for his smugness to reach Ed's internal senses and make his anger flare. Ed crossed his arms and started to fight off a pout. Roy still kept silent when he glanced at his companion and noticed his new body language. "Fine!" Ed shouted suddenly, "Don't say anything! You're a goddamn bastard!"  
Roy opened his mouth to reply, but Ed interrupted him loudly, "No! Don't bother. I don't want to hear it." Roy chuckled and let his mouth close with a loud clack as his teeth met. Ed huffed irritably. But the longer Roy kept an eye on the blond, the more his body language reformed back to his bored stance. His elbow on the open window, chin in his hand, arm across his belly, sighing every other minute.  
"Is something bothering you, Fullmetal? Perhaps you didn't sleep well?" Roy inquired. Ed emitted a soft "hn." Back to grunting, then. What had made Ed speak in the first place? Roy let it go. As long as Ed was healthy and could do his job, it didn't really matter how he was acting. Silence enveloped them again. Roy finally stopped paying attention to Ed after a while. His condition wasn't changing. That was, until a soft mumble reached Roy's ears. Roy glanced at Ed and smirked. "Didn't sleep well, I suppose," he concluded from the slumbering blond.  
Fortunately, the drive to Rufford only ate up their morning. They arrived at their designated hotel at high noon. The car stopped on the side of the road, directly in front of the building. Roy didn't immediately know what to do. He definitely had to wake Ed, but he wasn't sure whether or not he should go inside, or wait as he'd planned. Personally, he was stiff and wanted to stretch, so he wanted to get out of the car ASAP. However, Ed was asleep soundly, and his original plan had been to wait. He ran a hand through his hair and took a good, long look at Ed's very... not relaxed expression. It did not look like a very fitful sleep. Maybe Ed wouldn't be too angry if he was woken up.  
Roy reached over and grabbed Ed's arm and shook it hard. "Fullmetal, we've arrived. It's time to wake up and guard the car while I go inside and make sure our room is still reserved. Ed!" He frowned as Ed just mumbled and ripped his arm quickly and easily out of Roy's grip, still fast asleep. Ed's hand had somehow slipped out from under his head, and the boy's head was leaning right against the door. Roy got out, and calmly walked around to the other side of the car.  
He jerked open Ed's door.  
Ed fell. Golden eyes snapped open with a sharp gasp, and the blond caught himself on the door, and the back of his seat. Slightly bewildered, he pulled himself and examined his surroundings. His eyes landed on Roy last. Then they narrowed suspiciously.  
Before he could react, Roy turned and said, "We're here. I'm checking into the hotel. Stay here." Ed shook his head and hopped out of the car, a scowl firmly on his face. He slammed the door closed and leaned on it, his arms folded across his chest and his jaw set firmly. Roy was gone already, so he didn't have anyone to punch. Especially given the empty streets. As he noticed the vacant town, Ed straightened his back and let his arms fall to his sides, his eyes darting around alertly. No movement. No sound. No cars, no people, no animals. Clouds had dominated the sky sometime while Ed was asleep.  
The town was small enough that Ed could see from where he stood both ends of the town limits. Almost every building was a home. A few empty booths lined the streets, probably where the weekly market was held. There was a white building that Ed could only guess was the town hall, and the hotel. Nothing else. Homes, a market, town hall, and a hotel for travelers. Ed frowned. It was too clean to be uninhabited. Where was everyone? Shouldn't there be birds, or squirrels or something?  
The longer he stood in the silence, back rigid, the more the stillness bothered him. He strained his ears, and heard a faint chirp. What a relief. One bird in the entire town. He began to twitch, itching to make some noise or get someone's silence was more than unnerving. It was unbearable. Why was no one there?  
"Excuse me, sir?"  
Ed whipped his head around and stared at the girl. He'd just been straining his ears to listen for a noise. He hadn't heard her approach at all. Wary, he stepped backward and kept a cautious eye on her. "Do you need something?" he responded just as quietly as she had addressed him. She was pretty, bordering on beautiful. Short brown hair, full lips, decent breasts, and good hips. She wore a black tank top and shorts, with a backpack. Not very stylish, or girlie. And by the looks of her, she was fit. He added curiously, "And why aren't you wearing shoes?"  
She smiled in response, but it fell as she answered, "I don't like wearing shoes, I guess." He tried to keep his thoughts to himself. You guess, lady? Strange... She pulled a pair of glasses out of her backpack, and placed them on her nose and ears gently. "In any case, are you here with the military, Mr...?"  
Still suspicious, Ed answered, "Elric. Why?"  
Her smile returned graciously, and she replied, "I spoke with the Colonel over the phone. He requested my services." She held out a small, delicate, and soft hand. "It's nice to meet you, Major Elric." Her eyebrows pulled together in concern as she asked, "Would you like to be referred to as something else?"  
Ed shook her hand roughly. "I don't care what you call me." Her hand was really soft.  
She allowed her smile to resurface yet again, and responded, "Thank you, sir." Her eyes widened and she vehemently apologized, "Oh, I'm so sorry, sir! I forgot to introduce myself. Please forgive my carelessness. I'm Vera Oprich. I specialize in..." She stopped there, and waved it off nervously, "Let's just say I'm a very expensive bookworm."  
"Vera," Roy said, his tone surprised. Both of them turned to face the taller, dark haired Colonel. With the suddenly tall person added into the mix, Ed noted that this girl was even shorter than himself. She must have been five foot exactly. Vera and Roy smiled at each other and exchanged greetings in a very friendly way. At least, Roy was. Vera was either indifferent to Roy's advances, or she didn't notice them. "Fullmetal, this is Vera. She specializes in..." he trailed off and turned to the girl he was introducing. She smiled apologetically, and he finished, "... in some very specific field that has a very long name, and she is of value to us for this mission."  
Ed looked her up and down, unsure of whether or not to trust her. She looked harmless enough, but that didn't mean anything. She seemed pretty normal, too. But she'd been so quiet, and it still unnerved him when he thought about how she'd snuck up on him by accident. And why didn't she wear shoes, for goodness sake? Otherwise, he would have been much more relaxed.  
"Well, let's get on with this," Ed prompted, "We should get to work so we can go back to Central sooner." Vera agreed, and the two of them looked at Roy for the next step. He smiled reassuringly.  
"Well, I've ensured that both our rooms are indeed prepared for us," he said, "so with that in mind, shall we debrief in the suite?" Ed grunted, and Vera nodded. "Good," Roy said cheerfully, "Follow me." He turned around and led the way inside. It wasn't a very expensive place, but there were three floors - impressive for such a small town - and nothing was exactly shabby either. Roy immediately brought them up the stairs, and on the second floor they were suite 204.  
The suite was nice enough. A soft, maroon carpet and a fireplace with a coffee table and two sofas. There were also two doors that led to the two rooms they were going to sleep in. Ed immediately made himself at home, seating himself and propping his feet on the table. Vera stood by the fireplace with her hands behind her back. Roy closed the door behind them and sat on the other couch. "Comfortable?" he inquired. Ed shrugged, and Vera agreed.  
"Last week," Roy began, "we received reports of missing people from this town."  
Ed mumbled, "No shit."  
Roy ignored the interruption and went on, "It was only two, and we assumed the two had eloped, and the investigation was brief." He grimaced and continued, "But then we lost contact with our alchemist just outside of this town. He's an important asset to the military. The last people who investigated did not return. So our mission is to find the missing military personnel, and if it is related, also recover the two missing people." He leaned back and asked, "Do we have questions?"  
Ed spoke up first. "What was the alchemist's field? And who were the missing couple?"  
Surprisingly, Vera answered the second question first. "The missing couple were two teenagers, just out of school. The girl lived right in town, and was about to take over her grandmother's library. The boy was going to take over the hotel, here." She shrugged. "They weren't really important people." Ed watched Vera suspiciously for a moment, when Roy began to answer Ed's other question.  
"The alchemist's name was Matilda Herron, originally dubbed the 'Green Alchemist.' She was the leading researcher in growth - or, if you prefer, the process of dying." Roy met Ed's gaze seriously. "Whether or not it was official, she began to be referred to as the 'Mantis Alchemist' because of the gradual change in the nature of her research." Ed scowled at this and glanced at Vera, who looked pale.  
"This sounds a bit dangerous," he said at last, "How can Vera help us?"  
Vera removed her glasses and placed them back in her backpack while Roy spoke. "She specializes in a variety of things, but her most valuable asset currently is her connection to Matilda. She was Matilda's apprentice." Ed turned to look at Vera, eyes narrowed in suspicion. He definitely did not trust her anymore.  
Vera smiled apologetically and agreed, "Well, yes. Until recently, we had been very close. She was, uh, eccentric." She met Ed's scrutinizing gaze and looked away, blushing furiously under the pressure. "I was... 'banished,' as she put it, because I refused to help her, ah..." she rubbed her shoulder nervously, "as she put it, 'observe the process of our research.' It kind of freaked me out at the time. I really have no idea how she meant that. I didn't stick around to find out."  
Ed stood and asked quietly, "Was this before or after the teenagers disappeared?"  
Vera blinked and answered, "After...?"  
"What kind of research did you do, exactly?" Ed grilled her.  
She laughed nervously and replied, "The kind with books. I only witnessed one experiment."  
Roy interjected, also getting to his feet, "Regardless, Fullmetal, we need to find these missing persons. Can we get to it?"  
Ed sighed, and turned away from Vera stiffly. "I suppose. Where do we start?"  
Vera, again, was the one to answer. "Matilda's house."

The atmosphere in the car was stifling. Edward's distrust had become more than obvious, and he did not attempt to hide his caution. Roy really didn't want to get in the middle of it, so he just drove quietly. None of them spoke, actually, but Ed's suspicious glares did not go unnoticed. Vera, on the other hand, just worried quietly about how this would play out. Edward's distrust made it very clear that it would be very difficult to work with him.  
Vera spoke quietly from the back. "The road should end soon, but her house should be in sight. We might have to walk. The automobile might get stuck. It happened often to Matilda." Taking the warning, Roy stopped at the end of the road. True to Vera's word, a small house was in sight. It would be a five minute walk at most. The three of them climbed out of the car, still silent.  
"Let's go," Roy muttered, trying to dispel the atmosphere.  
"Wait," Vera stopped them. The two alchemists turned to her, one impatient, and the other simply curious. "There are traps - bombs - in the yard. She became increasingly paranoid as her research..." she trailed off and watched both incredulous gazes. She bit her bottom lip worriedly.  
"Are you sure she wasn't playing a trick on you or something?" Roy asked.  
"That's just ridiculous," Ed added.  
Vera licked her lips and picked up a rock slightly larger than her fist. The boys watched curiously, and she threw it. It landed a surprising distance away - she was stronger than she looked - but even more surprising was the spray of grass and dirt, and the loud BOOM. Vera rubbed her forearm, and Roy turned an impressed gaze to her.  
Ed rolled his eyes and exclaimed, "Now she knows we're here!"  
"No," Vera assured him, "They go off all the time with the animals. Usually in the other direction, towards the forest, since that's where the bears come from. And she probably isn't here anyway." Ed glowered at her still, suspicious. She continued, with nothing else to do but accept Edward's distrust, "There's a way through, but she probably changed it since I left, so if I can have a moment to figure out the pattern..." Ed rolled his eyes and stalked off to the opposite side of the car to sulk. Roy apologized and followed the blond.  
"Fullmetal," he hissed, out of sight from Vera, "I understand if you don't believe her claims to innocence - honestly, I don't believe her myself - but this is a very dangerous mission. Already we can see that we need her." Their angry, stubborn glares locked into a stare-down. "Please keep the hostility low. At least while we need her." Ed shook his head, and turned away, muttering to himself. "Besides," Roy added with a grin, "that's no way to treat a lady, let alone someone on your level of intelligence and stature."  
Ed scoffed. "Right. She was an apprentice."  
It was Roy's turn to be exasperated. He rolled his eyes. "So she wasn't a prodigy when she was eleven. She has her reasons for that. But she's very intelligent, and she was an alchemist of the state herself." Ed turned an alarmed gaze to Roy. "That doesn't mean necessarily that she's trustworthy, but it means the military trusts her. That has to count for something."  
"How come no one mentioned it?" Ed asked, frowning.  
"Because her title as well as her specialty was very long-winded," Roy told him nonchalantly with a shrug.  
"Was?" Ed inquired, noting the past tense.  
Roy explained, "She retired young for personal reasons." Ed hummed, still concerned about the girl. But, somehow, between her mannerisms and this news, she was much less... dangerous, almost. Roy went on, "She no longer practices in the name of the state, but since she had taken up an apprenticeship here, I assume she still practices. Don't get me wrong, Fullmetal. She's hiding something. I just don't know if it's any of our concern." Ed sighed, and peered over the car to find Vera lying on the ground, eyes closed, breathing evenly. What was she doing? "While we're here, Fullmetal," Roy whispered, "Are you feeling alright? You didn't sleep well last night or in the car this morning, I know."  
Ed shrugged, uncomfortable with the question. "Just can't sleep well, that's all. Let's go. I think she's waiting for us." This last sentence was said with a hint of confusion, as they walked around the car and found the girl on the ground still, with her eyes open this time. "Can we get across?" Ed asked. Vera sat up and frowned.  
"Well, yeah," she answered, "but it hasn't changed at all since last I was here. It's almost certain that she's not here." Ed hummed, and they began their five minute walk, which turned out to be more like ten with the indirect path Vera brought them along. Halfway through the winding path, Ed started to make conversation.  
"What was the experiment you witnessed, Vera?" Ed asked, his tone unassuming. He kept his gaze on her feet, making sure not to stray too far from where her feet touched. She glanced back at him in surprise, but continued walking without looking.  
"Well, if you must know, it was a very simple experiment. At the time, we were still researching the nature of growth. I think it's when Matilda had her philosophical breakthrough. I do have to say, after seeing that, I agree with her. Not that death is something to meddle with anyway," she said thoughtfully, "Matilda liked insects because their lifespans were quick, but they were too small to observe properly, I think. So she decided to try to quicken the lifespan of something larger. I did the research on the circle without really understanding her plan. I put it together, and activated it with the cat right in the middle. Nothing happened to the animal, until it went to sleep that night. It was a pile of bones in the morning."  
Ed's eyebrows furrowed as he thought about what would be needed in a transmutation circle like that. It didn't sound like something you could research and not realize it was meant for a darker purpose. Vera went on, "So I adjusted the circle a few times until we got it right. Fourth cat, died within the week. However, unlike the others, it aged properly. The way normal cats do. Just faster." She sighed and stepped over a large stump. "Don't step on the stump, guys. Over. So she and I gathered the information on the cat, and it died. Matilda had an epiphany. Growth and dying aren't too different, she figured. I actually agree, so neither of us were too excited about turning twenty two this year. She changed after that. She was pretty idealistic, and something snapped, I guess. Couldn't handle reality. Or it excited her more. Not sure which. After that she'd only ask me to research individual symbols and circles, and I spent an increasing amount of time alone. I haven't been able to recover my glorious tan in the past week, since she banished me. From the clues I had gathered, she had focused on death itself for a long time, but changed her focus to not dying. At that point, she stopped asking for kittens, so she either used those pesky bears, or..."  
"Do you think she experimented on herself?" Roy asked.  
Vera shrugged. "How should I know? I'm just a bookworm."  
Ed grumbled, "A bookworm with quite a bit of experience with alchemy. So what is your title, Vera? I haven't even heard what you specialize in. Maybe I can pick it apart and guess what you focus on mainly." It was polite, maybe even nice. Vera laughed at the suggestion.  
However, she said, "I specialize primarily in scientificus vitae et certamen. That's what I've called it recently, without all my other subjects of study in the title. Not many people understand it, though. Care to give it a try?" She sent Ed a smile. Ed thought about the phrase. He wasn't sure where he'd heard the words before, or if he'd even read them instead. He gave it a moment of thought.  
"Literally, would it mean... scientist... life and struggle. I suppose you don't mean it literally, though," Ed tried.  
"I'm surprised you know the language," Vera told him, her tone displaying exactly that, "and yes. Scientist, as in alchemist, of life and struggle, as in fighting."  
"You study... fighting?" Ed asked, curiously. "How so?"  
"In a lot of ways," she answered, but stopped and looked up. Ed looked up as well, and Roy, too. In front of them stood Matilda's abode. "I don't think the door will be locked," she whispered. "Should we bother knocking? I doubt she'll answer the door, even if she is there." She looked back at the two military personnel. Edward could not, for the life of him, see the imprint on her mannerisms that the military should have had on her. Was she treated specially or something? How come he never heard of her?  
Roy took the first step and approached the door. He knocked assertively, twice. The three of them stood in the front yard for several moments in silence, waiting to hear some kind of noise. A bird flew above them. But no one answered the door. "Alright," Roy murmured, "Let's head in, then." He opened the door slowly, peering into the dark house. They filed in cautiously.  
The three of them explored the poor excuse for a house. It included a bathroom, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a basement. They discovered the bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom were vacant, and nearly spotless as well. No one had been there for a while. And there were no clues as to where she could be found.  
"There is a basement," Vera reminded the boys, who stood awkwardly in the kitchen, rummaging around the food that had freshly gone bad. Ed grunted, and dropped the moldy bread. Vera gestured to the old wooden door in front of them all. "There it is, boys. All her experiments were all held down there. Fortunately, I keep my research with my personal belongings, so she couldn't use them after I left. I have a feeling she can recall more than enough, though."  
Roy took a deep breath and pushed the basement door open. It was dark, and the scent of mold and other such unhealthy smells wafted up the dark stairwell. Ed caught Vera's worried expression. Like something was different. Or wrong. "I'll grab a dish cloth to burn for light," Roy announced quietly. He turned around, and a draft carried the scent of dead flesh with it from the bottom of the stairs.  
Ed heard Vera whisper a prayer for guidance and safety.  
Mostly safety.

After leaving the basement with the multitude of dead animals, and the four dead bodies - the teenagers from town and the investigators from the military - the trio decided to call it a night. Vera had been pale and sweating. Ed and Roy managed to keep their military stoicism, so at least they hadn't been on the verge of passing out.  
They had all climbed back into the car.  
The engine wouldn't start.  
Ed and Roy stood outside, in the falling twilight, in front of the car. The hood was up. The wires and tubes were everywhere. Neither of them were mechanics. Vera sat in the car, trying to calm her queasy stomach. Neither of the boys said anything. They simply stared at the mass of metal that had absolutely no rhyme or reason to it. If it had eyes, it would have stared right back, just as confused.  
"So this has never happened before," Ed concluded quietly.  
"Never," Roy confirmed.  
"You drive this thing all the time. Surely you know something about this," Ed whispered.  
"Not at all. Hawkeye does the maintenance," Roy responded. Ed hummed thoughtfully.  
"Do you think we could walk back?"  
Roy ran a hand through his luscious locks. "Sure. But it's getting dark. We should hurry."  
Ed mumbled unhappily, "Vera will slow us down if she's still nauseous."  
Roy returned the comment with a genuine smile. "This is our chance to be gentlemen."  
Ed folded his arms. "I'm not carrying her."  
"Then I'll do it."  
"You just want to fondle her! You pervert!"  
"There's more to life than sex, Fullmetal."  
Silence fell between them. Ed looked uncomfortably at the ground, shifting his weight restlessly. Roy also felt antsy, but looked at the sunset, and the mist once again appearing in the distance. The clouds were gone, mostly. The grass was wet, indicating a shower of some kind. If it had been a heavy rain, they would have noticed it.  
Ed admitted under his breath, "This situation... makes me shudder."  
Roy agreed, neither of them locking gazes, "Same here. Like a trap." At the notion of a trap, they finally did look at each other with raised eyebrows. "Vera was with us the whole time. She couldn't have tampered with the car," Roy instantly defended her. Ed snapped his gaze onto Vera, who was in the backseat, still pale and greenish. For some reason, he believed she had nothing to do with it. He turned back to Roy.  
"We were inside for quite a while," Ed reminded Roy, "If Matilda had been hiding outside..."  
"Hey, boys?"  
Ed and Roy instantly looked at Vera, who was suddenly a few feet to their right, and no longer in the vehicle. Neither of them had noticed her move. But once she'd spoken, they did notice the indistinct figure approaching them from the house. Vera's heart jumped in her throat. The anxiety sent her already upset stomach into turmoil. She took a step backward, and the military boys stepped forward, placing themselves between Vera and the quickly approaching person. The figure's stride was deliberate, and swift. The person somehow managed to walk over several traps without triggering them.  
"It's Matilda," Vera hissed at the boys, "I know. No one else could walk right over the bombs."  
As soon as Vera stopped speaking, the figure stopped. "Vera? What do you want, darling?"  
Ed and Roy kept their eyes on the figure, but Roy gestured for Vera to answer. So she called back, "I've... I've decided... to help you after all, Matilda. It must be difficult without all those notes and hints, right?" Matilda didn't answer. She stood unnaturally still for a long, long moment. And she began running. Unusually fast. When the woman got close enough, Vera did not find the usually tall, thin, pale, sharp woman she'd known. The smell of carrion reached her nose before anything else, and dead flesh hung from the woman's face, and wrinkles marred what wasn't rotten, but clammy and bluish. So Vera fainted.

When Vera came to, she couldn't immediately make sense of her situation. Firstly, she realized she'd finally thrown up. The taste of bile, and the remains of her chicken soup infested her mouth. Secondly, she realized that she had indeed fallen unconscious. Thirdly, she had no idea where she was, or what time it was. The sun was entirely gone, and trees surrounded her. Her only conclusion was that she'd been brought into the forest. By whom? Major Elric, or the Colonel? The fleshy, dead woman that ran at unnatural speeds, with the voice of dear Matilda?  
She sat up and also found herself injured. Small cuts on her arms and face, with a very nice bruise on her belly. That would explain how she vomited. How did she get hit there? She couldn't fight while unconscious, surely. Maybe while hung over a shoulder? How could that happen? She shook her head and tried to move on. It didn't matter what had already happened. She needed to move on and find her companions.  
She gathered her wits, and got to her feet. There was no moon. Nor were there stars. There were only trees, and a fine mist. She listened intently for a moment, and there was no sign of commotion. However, a pungent carrion smell filled the air. A squirrel scuttled from Vera's right, and ran straight across her feet to get to Vera's left, and climbed up a tree. Animals moved on her left. Nothing stirred to her right.  
She inhaled deeply and trudged, silently, into the still part of the forest. Nothing natural could be there. As Vera stalked forward, the sounds of the forest died. Trees lost their leaves. Branches were decaying quickly, and the further she walked, the more fallen branches she found. The utter silence was beginning to make her back itch. Every other moment, she felt eyes prickling that same spot. But when she turned around, nothing was there.  
She seemed to be getting nowhere. The mist was increasingly opaque. So she stopped to listen again. This time, she heard no animals. Nothing moved. She heard breathing. Hard, heavy. She could almost hear the person's heartbeat, although it was probably her own, which was currently racing in her throat. She walked toward the sound, making sure to keep her own breath and steps nearly silent. Within moments, she happened upon a disturbing sight.  
Roy, with grey hair and wrinkles, breathing heavy, and bleeding against a tree. Edward, on the ground. She couldn't get a good look at him, with Matilda's old and decaying body pinning him down. Roy stared helplessly at Edward, unable to move properly. The bleeding wound slashed across his chest, bleeding mostly where it ended on his belly. It was probably deepest there.  
Vera didn't know what to do. She couldn't move. She held her breath in anxiety and fear.  
Then Roy looked up. She did, too. Their gazes locked. She tried to brace herself, and examine the situation. Roy and Ed were both useless - maybe not Ed, she couldn't tell, nor could she determine exactly what Matilda was doing to Ed - and Matilda seemed unharmed. Except for the knife in her back, that should have been piercing her heart. So Matilda was already dead. Or something like that.  
Vera kneeled, and touched the ground. A soft blue light indicated the work of alchemy immediately. The unnaturally quick undead woman turned her head and faced Vera almost before the light appeared. Wide, glossy unseeing eyes stared through Vera for a long moment. Rotten teeth spoke. "What are you doing, Vera? I banished you." Vera didn't answer. Vines grew from the ground and wrapped around the rotting ankles and cold hands of the dead woman. With a loud growl from Matilda, the vines shriveled and fell, useless.  
Simultaneously, Matilda lunged at Vera, and Vera lifted her foot. With the unnatural speed, and Vera's timing, the dead-like woman hit the heel of Vera's foot. Hard. She bounced back, and smacked her head on the ground with a solid thump. Ed threw his two cents in by jabbing another knife into the woman, except this time in the eye. She shrieked, and both Ed and Roy curled up on themselves and moaned. Vera smacked her hands on the ground again, and the dazed woman was wrapped up nicely in vines and fresh tree trunks.  
Matilda suddenly jerked free, and clawed at Vera with bloody yellow nails. Vera collapsed in pain, eyes watering. A leathery, cold hand touched her head, and coldness began to spread. From her hair and nails, Vera could feel all the dying parts of her body. It was all cold. It lasted only a second, until a fire literally sprung up on top of Matilda's head. It nearly exploded to be more exact. She tore her hand away and turned to Roy, but Ed managed to stab her foot with his last knife for good measure. Matilda's foot stuck in the ground. She shrieked, but the knife didn't shrivel or die, like the vines and the surrounding trees.  
Vera, shivering from the cold, slapped the ground again. The cold drained from her body. Matilda shrieked again, but her flesh fell apart before their very eyes. Her bones fell into a heap when her muscles turned grey, and fell to the ground, useless. Soon, it became bones. Vera looked up. The trees had not returned. Edward and Roy both sat there, useless and old and injured. She inched closer to Edward.  
He met her gaze, but didn't say anything. Vera muttered a prayer for their safety. She placed her hands gently on the ground. Edward's wrinkles disappeared with the blue light. Roy's hair turned dark and soft again. However, the blood was still there. The injuries remained. Ed pushed himself up, and scowled at his leg that sparked every time he tried to move it. The three of them sat in silence, two of them stunned and uncertain, and Vera exhausted.  
At last, someone spoke. "I told you guys I don't think death should be meddled with." Vera shook her head and smiled softly. "Now how can we get out of here with a man bleeding fatally, another with a bum leg, and the third who has a habit of passing out?" And with that, the world went dark a second time that eventful night.

Surprisingly, people did live in town. In fact, they even had a fire squad that put out fires. After multiple people reported seeing flames appear in the night, the fire squad did leave to find out why fire would appear and disappear in the middle of the night. It was quite easy to follow the smell of burned flesh, and the trail of dead plants. And the fire squad stumbled upon three travelers who were all incapacitated.  
Hence, Roy, Ed, and Vera were all rescued.  
Vera decided to go back to Central to see what the city offered.  
However, with Ed's bum leg, they had to make a pit stop.  
In Resembool.  
"You said we wouldn't stop here on our way back," Ed snarled.  
"I didn't think your automail would be an issue. This saves time and money," Roy replied.  
"You're a bastard," Ed vehemently proclaimed.  
Roy shrugged. "I don't know what else you want me to do. How long would you like to stay useless?" Ed growled under his breath, but no longer argued. The car was stopped in the same spot, right next to the field of tall grass and wheat. The Elric household stood several yards away. Ed still had his arms crossed, and showed no intention of moving. Vera sat quietly in the backseat, having been practically ignored for the entire ride.  
"Do we have to stay the night?" Ed asked slowly, sending Roy a sly glance.  
"Unless someone else can drive tonight while I get some sleep," Roy said, "we should stay."  
Frowning, Vera asked, "You think your leg will be okay to walk on tonight anyway?"  
Ed and Roy exchanged a glance. Ed snorted, and Roy sent Vera a smile. "Whether or not it will be safe to walk on, he will probably do it regardless. And Winry's a very skilled mechanic," Roy answered her, having already made eye contact, as well as relatively sure Edward was determined to keep ignoring her. Vera hummed softly in acknowledgment. "Are we ready to go inside, Fullmetal?" Roy inquired. Somehow he was still cheerful... and smug.  
Ed exclaimed in exasperation. "Rrragh! I hate you, you bastard!" He pushed the door open violently, and swung around swiftly to get out of the car. However, as he slid out of the car, he had to be gentle lest he hurt his leg or reopen his wound on his belly, similar to Roy's. Roy left the car in the same manner. Vera just hopped out and winced.  
She followed their lead - Ed's, actually, since he led the way - and kept her eyes on Roy's back. The man still intimidated her, physically, so it was hard to keep in mind how charming he was, or that he was harmless to civilians. The three of them piled onto the porch, and Ed knocked obnoxiously loud, and did not stop until the door swung open.  
"Edward Elric, if you don't stop that this..." Winry trailed off, and stared at Ed and Roy for a long moment. She couldn't see the wounds on their bellies or chests, but she could see, clear as day, the cuts adorning them, and the bandaged wound that went all the way across Roy's forehead. And there was a minimally bruised girl standing behind them, looking uncomfortable and out of place.  
"My leg," Ed said, and she turned her gaze to his injured leg. She couldn't see it, but she examined how he favored his flesh appendage.  
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY AUTOMAIL, YOU BASTARD?!"  
Vera stood, shocked, as the two blonds duked it out with shouted verbal assaults, Ed flailing his arms in extreme gestures, Winry's fists clenched at her sides. She shot him with accusation after accusation (relative to the conversation or not) and he defended himself while the insults flew back and forth between them. The name-calling never stopped, and once they both ran out of proverbial ammo, it degenerated into a mindless name-calling tournament. Roy just stood there calmly, watching the scene with a fond smirk.  
"Come here!" Winry yelled, interrupting Ed. She grabbed his arm, and dragged him, flailing, into the house, while he accused her of being all sorts of unnatural and obscene things. Once they were out of sight, Roy sent Vera a smile.  
He stepped inside and called, "I'm coming in, as well." Vera followed him cautiously. A pair of bluish steel eyes peered at them from behind the couch. Roy seated himself on that same couch while Vera closed the door. She took a good look at the house. It was all wooden, and beautifully crafted. The fireplace was particularly charming.  
"Mister Roy," Seth whispered from his position behind the couch, "Who is that lady?"  
Roy smiled at the kid and suggested, "Why don't you ask her? She's a nice lady."  
Vera looked at Roy in confusion, wondering who he was talking to. And Seth cautiously slid out from behind the couch and slowly approached Vera. She examined him, easily spotting the similarities between this boy and the blond girl who had answered the door. Seth stopped a few feet away from her, and stared at her in awe. She stared back, and then smiled with the tilt of her head.  
"I'm Seth," he introduced himself. "Are you Uncle Ed's girlfriend?"  
Roy watched, intrigued, as Vera took the question in stride without faltering. She answered, "No, dear. I'm afraid your Uncle Ed doesn't like me much at all. I just helped him catch a bad guy, though. Was that your mommy?" Seth nodded wordlessly, also tilting his head the way she was. She crouched to be at his eye level and whispered, "She's very beautiful. Your daddy must be very glad to have such a pretty wife."  
Seth puffed out his chest with pride, grinning wildly. "Dad's happy all the time, even when he sleeps! Ma must be really, really pretty to make him that happy, right?" He leaned in close, eyes sparkling. Apparently, this was the only time he'd ever really thought about his mother being pretty. "I hope I can be as pretty as her, then! I could make everyone happy!" He twirled about, and jumped up and down excitedly.  
Vera chuckled, and replied, "You are very handsome, Seth. Don't worry about it."  
"Thanks!" Seth exclaimed happily. "I think you're pretty enough to make Uncle Ed happy!"  
"Thank you, sir," she replied earnestly, still grinning. "I'm Vera. It's nice to meet you."  
Seth jumped up and down and exclaimed, "You're my first auntie!"  
Here, Vera looked uncomfortable. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her smile faltered. "You can call me that, but I'm not really..." she trailed off, not sure how to explain it. "I'm not even friends with your extended family," she tried. He just tilted his head, his own smile gone. He didn't look upset or even as if he understood what she meant. She tried again, "I'm a stranger."  
Seth rolled his eyes. "Don't be silly. You're Uncle Ed's friend! You beat up the villain! You said so! And you helped Uncle Ed, so we know you're a good person. You'll be my friend, too, right?" His smile returned, and he grabbed her hand. She sighed, and agreed with a worried smile. A creak on the stairs made Seth whip his head around. Al stood at the bottom of the stairs, his hand still on the railing, not sure what to think of the situation.  
Seth ran up to his father, shouting, "Dad! Dad, Uncle Ed and Mister Roy are here! They brought Auntie Vera, and she's so cool!" He beamed up at his father. Al smiled softly at Seth, and picked him up, resting the kid on his hip. He looked around the room, and smiled at each of his guests.  
"Where's Ed?" he asked.  
Before anyone else could answer, Seth jumped in. "Ma dragged him into the workshop because he's hurt. They kept yelling at each other! It was scary!" Despite his choice of words, he was still grinning madly. Al smiled back and ruffled his hair. Vera saw the resemblance between Ed and Al, but she couldn't see it in Al and Seth. Al let Seth down, and the kid ran out of the room, probably into the workshop.  
"I'm Edward's brother, Alphonse," Al introduced himself, approaching Vera, and held out his hand. "Everyone calls me Al."  
She stood, and brushed off her pants. "I'm Vera Oprich," she said, shaking his hand, smiling. "He's quite a character." She paused at Al's questioning expression, and clarified after a second of thought, "Your brother, Edward." Al laughed at the observation, and agreed quietly. The two of them stood in awkward silence for a moment.  
Al offered, "Please sit, Vera. Would either of you like some tea? Coffee? Water?"  
Roy answered easily, "Coffee, if you don't mind."  
Vera, who still hadn't sat down, said, "No thank you." She tugged on the strap across her shoulder that kept her bag on her back. Al nodded, and left the room, humming to himself. Quiet settled between Vera and Roy as they listened to Al bustle in the kitchen to fetch Roy's coffee. "They're very nice," Vera commented at last.  
"Winry should be nice when Fullmetal isn't around," Roy assured her, "He brings out the worst in people in normal circumstances." Vera laughed nervously at the statement. Roy watched her, interested. "Are you anxious about something?" he inquired earnestly. Vera tried to smile, but it dropped when she realized she didn't feel it at all.  
"I don't like people," she admitted, "I don't know how to deal with them. That's all."  
"I'm sure isolating yourself for the sake of research does that," Roy replied. He hesitated and speculated, "That might explain why Fullmetal can be so abrasive." Vera hummed in agreement, and shifted her weight onto her other foot. Al entered at that point, and handed Roy a steaming mug of coffee.  
"Are you comfortable standing?" Al asked. Vera confirmed this with a hum and a smile. "Can I take your bag, then?" he offered gladly. She could see his earnest desire to make her comfortable in his home, even though he didn't know her.  
She replied, "Um, I'd like to keep it with me. Thanks, though."  
Al let his shoulders drop and he murmured, "Oh...kay." He took a seat by the fire, and asked in the most friendly way he knew, "So what do you do for a living, Vera? Do you work with my brother on a regular basis?" Vera recognized the question, and felt awkward.  
"I'm primarily an alchemist, currently focusing on biology," she answered, "but no, I've just met Major Elric." Al let a knowledgeable "ah" escape his throat. Vera hurried to add, "I have, however, been Roy's penpal for a few years." Al blinked in surprise and looked to Roy for some elaboration, or confirmation, even.  
Roy agreed without shame, "We met in the academy, actually. This is the first time we've met in person for quite some time."  
Al concluded aloud, "So you must be a bit older than my brother, then."  
Vera flushed quite a bit and corrected him, "No, no. Roy and I met when I was quite young. I'm actually not even twenty two. I actually wasn't even in the academy. I was visiting a friend when Roy and I met." Al hummed with that tone of 'wow, I would never have guessed,' over the initial shock. He fiddled with the ring on his finger.  
"Who did you know from the academy?" he asked, "You were really young, probably."  
"Maes," she answered unflinchingly. "He was a family friend, and I wanted his opinion on a project." Silence followed her statement, and she frowned, looking between the two very somber men. Roy stared quietly at his hands, while Al looked at the empty fireplace. Vera shifted her weight awkwardly again, mostly because she couldn't mourn him the way the other two could. Her memory of him had been faint, of a goofy kid who stuck his nose into everyone's business.  
After several minutes passed by uncomfortably, Seth bounded into the room, smiling. "Dad, Uncle Ed and ma are fighting. Ma told me to leave, it was so bad. But I think I heard the bad words anyway." He giggled, and made his way easily to the couch, where he sat down right in the middle. No one spoke immediately. He frowned. "Why is everyone sad?"  
Al answered gently, "We're remembering a good friend, who... passed away."  
Seth accented his frown with furrowed eyebrows. "Okay, but I think you should go talk to ma and Uncle Ed. They're fighting a lot worse than usual." Al stood and smiled. He ruffled Seth's hair as he walked by, and went through the kitchen to get to the workshop. The three of them were quiet for another moment, Roy still feeling somber, Seth a little lost, and Vera uncomfortable.  
"Sorry about that," Vera spoke at last.  
"It's fine," Roy murmured. "What were you asking his opinion on?"  
Vera folded her arms and answered, "A school project. I don't remember the specifics."  
Seth asked, "Who passed away?"  
"Maes Hughes," Vera answered, once again without hesitation. She didn't really know what to do but to answer the question honestly. "He was really close to Roy, so let's talk about something else, okay? Are you old enough to go to school, Seth?"  
"I'm five," Seth announced proudly. "Ma and dad homeschool me. Ma says I'm too smart for school. Were you homeschooled?"  
"Kind of," Vera answered with a smile. "I was supposed to go to school, but I spent all my time at the library, studying what I wanted instead. I didn't make a lot of friends that way. Do you have friends? I'm sure you're very popular with the ladies." She winked, and crouched again, scooting closer to the couch to have a little more intimate conversation.  
Seth shrugged, as if uninterested. "I don't like the kids my age. They're all..." he wrinkled his nose in distaste and finished uncertainly, "stupid." Vera laughed, surprised by the honesty, and fell on her behind. Seth smiled, uncertainly still, since he wasn't sure what was so funny. "Dad laughs when I say that, too."  
Vera recovered quickly and said, "Of course he does. You're a funny kid."  
Seth grinned easily then, and slid off the couch. "Do you want to see my books?"  
"Sure, dear," Vera agreed, and Seth excitedly ran up the stairs, ordering her to follow. She did.  
That left Roy with some very necessary time alone.

Al watched worriedly as Winry and Edward figuratively spat at each other while Winry worked on Ed's leg. It was a simple repair, from what Al understood, but it was taking a while to get it done. He had tried multiple times already to interrupt and help them act civil, but they just ignored him or sent him death glares. Ed shouted in unexpected pain and accused her of hurting him on purpose. Winry replied snidely, and Al sighed.  
"There, I'm done," Winry snapped, "Now get out of my sight, you pig!"  
"I'll be more than glad to," Ed snarled, and stomped out of the workshop and into the kitchen it connected to. Al didn't follow him, but he was okay with that. He stomped through the kitchen and into the living room, where only Roy sat. Ed threw himself on the couch and muttered under his breath. "I hate her!" he shouted abruptly. He huffed, and glanced at Roy. The Colonel didn't look back, or smirk, or anything. He just stared ahead stoically. "Where's Vera? And Seth?" Ed asked cautiously.  
Roy answered clearly, "Upstairs, in Seth's room."  
Ed scowled at Roy's attitude. "Did something happen?"  
Roy glanced at Ed and back at his hands. "I was taken off guard, that's all."  
"Uh huh," Ed agreed reluctantly, and got to his feet. "Well, I don't trust that girl, so I'm going up there to make sure nothing funny is going on. I can't believe you left her alone with Seth." He hesitated, and recognized Roy's unsettled mood. "Hold down the fort," Ed commanded the Colonel quietly, and took the stairs two at a time, skipping the creaking step. He reached the top of the stairs and saw light spilling out of Seth's room to the left.  
He approached the door warily and peered inside. Seth's room was messy, like any other, except with books, notes, and clothes scattered instead of toys. Seth and Vera sat facing each other, a pile of books beside them, and two open between them. Seth animatedly explained various facts about alchemy, seemingly unrelated. Ed frowned, as Vera simply smiled and encouraged him. Seth surprised them both by connecting it all to mechanics.  
"That's very good," Vera praised Seth cheerfully, "I wish I'd been as smart as you when I was five. Maybe I'd be as cool as Uncle Ed, huh?"  
"It's okay," Seth told her with a shrug, "I think you're smart enough for Uncle Ed."  
Ed blushed at the notion, but Vera laughed. It was throaty, almost enticing. "I wouldn't say that around your dad or your ideas will catch and I'll be forced to marry him!" She grinned widely at Seth, who bounced up and down with sparkling eyes at the notion.  
He exclaimed excitedly, "Then I would see both of you more often! You have the best ideas, Auntie Vera! Thanks for the help with my homework! Dad gives me so much trouble about it!" He jumped up as he spoke and finished what he had to say within the few seconds it took to run out the door and around Edward. As he ran down the hall, he greeted Ed with a, "Hi Uncle Ed!"  
Vera watched and listened, surprised to find Ed standing in the hallway. She looked away from him, and closed the open books. "Hey," she mumbled, and put the two books on top the pile of books Seth had gotten out. Ed didn't answer, so she said, "You should have stopped him. He's going to tell your brother that we should get married." She got to her feet as she spoke and brushed off her legs.  
Ed responded deadpan, "I know. You shouldn't have told him." She agreed quietly, and walked past him while leaving the room. "Vera. Don't get close to my family. I don't trust you. At all." Vera stopped walking to listen to him. She paused, trying to think of something to respond with. Alas, she could not think of anything clever or witty.  
She just whispered, "As you wish. Sorry for the trouble, Major Elric." She walked by, and he kept a wary gaze on her. He turned and also went down the stairs. Seth, Al, Winry, and Roy sat around the living room with the fire roaring. Roy was smiling, feeling better, and Seth was animatedly insisting Ed and Vera should get married, while Al and Winry laughed at his antics. Vera stopped at the bottom of the stairs, unintentionally blocking Ed.  
As she looked around at the warm scene, she knew she didn't fit. She didn't remember ever seeing a family like this. It would have been nice to pretend to be in it, but she didn't feel any particular attachment to any of them. Except Seth. He beamed at her and Ed.  
"Excuse me," she murmured and made her way quietly through the living room. She left through the front door, and no one spared her a second glance. Ed took his seat on the couch, and watched his brother and childhood friend interact with their child. His stomach growled, but he didn't complain or mention it.  
"Fullmetal," Roy whispered, "did something happen?"  
Ed grunted. "Not much."  
Roy stood, and excused himself. "I need a breath of fresh air," he explained, and Al nodded understandingly. Ed watched with confusion as Roy left. Outside, the air was crisp and cool. The sun had gone down, and Roy found Vera at the bottom stair to the porch, indecisively shifting her feet. He greeted her happily, "It's a nice evening, right Vera?"  
She shrugged, not looking back. "If you like having a knife jabbed in your heart and twisted, then I guess this evening is nice. I can be such an insensitive fool."  
Roy concluded, "So Fullmetal did say something to you."  
"That bothers me a lot less than my own... transgressions," she replied easily. "I know he doesn't like me; his attitude and threats were expected." She sighed and seated herself on the steps. Roy took a seat beside her faithfully. She went on slowly, "It really only bothers me that I so foolishly brought up such a sensitive subject, without realizing how it would affect you. I'm just unnerved by my own insensitivity." Roy hummed thoughtfully, indicating that he had heard her. She didn't continue, however.  
So he said, "If it makes you feel better, I'm fine, and I forgive you."  
She snorted. "It would make me feel better, Roy, if you would get angry. Punch me, threaten me, be aggressive. I feel miserable with your forgiveness." She scowled, and kept staring at the horizon. The stars and moon lit up the tall grass before them. A soft thump, and one bruise later, Vera jumped and turned to Roy with surprised eyes. "You hit me!" she exclaimed. Roy just smiled in return. She relaxed and looked away from him again.  
"Did that make you feel better?" he asked.  
"A bit," she added with a small smile.  
Roy stood and said, "Good. Let's head inside. I think Fullmetal will throw a fit soon if he can't attempt to fill his bottomless pit that he calls a stomach." Vera scoffed, and hoped sounded like laughter. It didn't, but Roy held out his hand for her to grab. She took it and pulled herself to her feet. "Your hands are cold," he observed. "Do you need a blanket or something?"  
She smiled wanly. "No, it should be warm enough inside."  
Dinner was not pleasant. At first everyone sat around the table with their food and ate quietly. Then Seth made another comment about Vera being Ed's girlfriend, to which Al and Winry laughed. Vera just kept eating quietly, and Ed didn't comment either. Roy suggested Seth not mention it again when seeing Vera's flat expression. And then Winry tried to make conversation with Vera, when Ed interrupted and started another argument between the blonds. The screaming stopped when Vera stood suddenly.  
Ed stopped and looked up at her, as did Winry. "Thanks for the meal," she murmured. She placed her dishes in the sink, and Seth started to get up.  
"I'll show you to your room," he suggested happily.  
"No thanks."  
"No, kiddo."  
Vera and Ed looked at each other, mildly surprised that they were agreeing on something.  
"I know where it is," she elaborated quietly, and left the room.  
Al spoke. "Well, I'm sorry there's only one guest room. I'm sure since you two are injured, you can take the beds. I'm sure she'll sleep on the couch down here if you ask." Ed grunted, and Roy stared at the blond for a long moment. Ed felt the dark gaze on him and met Roy's eyes.  
He asked, "What are you looking at?"  
"I think we need to have a word," Roy said, and grabbed Ed's shirt. Ed shouted, but Roy pulled him out of the kitchen anyway and brought him into the living room. Ed was still shouting when Roy pushed him onto the couch. He was interrupted when Roy snapped, "Shut it, Fullmetal." Surprisingly, Ed obeyed, although he glowered the entire time. "What do you think you're doing? I thought we went over this when we were working in Rufford. Deal with her. Be civil at least." He finished with an exasperated tone, as if he couldn't believe he had to deal with Edward's childish behavior.  
"I don't trust her!" Ed snarled, leaning forward with his teeth gritted, "She's here getting cozy with my family, you bastard, while she hides secrets from us, and tries to pretend she's not dangerous. Did you see her when we fought that corpse? She's dangerous and deceptive! And she has everyone here under her thumb! There's no reason for me to trust her!"  
"Well I do trust her!" Roy growled. Like he'd been physically slapped in the face, Ed leaned back and his mouth fell open in surprise. His eyes widened slightly. "Believe it or not, I've been her friend for a long time - years, even. She was even the one who informed us of the situation in Rufford, since she was living there until recently." He took a step backward, his hands in his pockets. After pacing a little bit, he added much more calmly, "Besides, you're dangerous, aren't you? Aren't you keeping secrets from her, too? Why do you think she trusts you?"  
Ed argued, "I don't pretend I'm anything else."  
Roy stopped pacing and his eyes landed on Ed calmly. "Fine. Don't trust her. I thought you'd have more sense than that. You have less than twenty four hours to deal with her. I want you to be one hundred percent civil to her until then. Can you manage to be nice to someone - who has never done a thing to harm you - for a few hours?" Their gazes locked and their wills pitted against each other.  
Ed looked away first, folding his arms. "Fine," he growled stubbornly, "but I don't trust her."  
Roy shook his head, and the two of them went back into the kitchen. The older man smiled when he entered the room, and picked up his plate. "I think Vera had the right idea. I'd like some rest. Have a nice night." He put his dishes away, and left the kitchen. He trekked up the wooden stairs, and stopped in front of the guest room door. He listened for any sounds, but couldn't hear anything. He pushed the door open, and found Vera asleep on the floor, a note written on her lap. Don't wake me, please. - Vera The words looked like chicken scratch, but at least they were legible.  
Roy sighed and closed the door.

Vera opened her eyes. The room was utterly dark, indicating that it was still before dawn. She sat up from the cold floor and glanced around. There were two sleeping forms in the bed, each of them quiet and still. She guessed the one sprawled all over the mattress was Edward. She got to her feet, silent as the first day she met Edward, and picked up her bag that she had used as a pillow. It was chilly, so she opened her bag and pulled out a black sweater. After pulling it on, she looked around the room and resisted the urge to sigh. Then she headed toward the door.  
"Going somewhere?"  
She jerked backward, away from the door, and faced Edward's golden eyes. "Out."  
Ed sat up, and the bed creaked. He kept his hard eyes on her. "I suppose you wouldn't mind if I came along, too?"  
At this, she raised her eyebrows and tried not to laugh. "Follow me, then. I don't suspect you'd ever see your nephew or your brother again, because I'm not coming back." Ed narrowed his eyes and got to his feet. He looked her up and down, and folded his arms. Normally he slept in his boxers, but since she'd been in the room, he'd slept in pants as well.  
"How are you so quiet when you move?" he asked suspiciously. He'd never be so quiet, he knew. Not unless he asked right then and there. Stealth like that could only be helpful to Ed, hence why he asked. Vera, on the other hand, was amused by the question. He watched as she paced the floor and made absolutely no sound.  
"It helps when you don't wear shoes," she answered, and added with a smirk, "Or boots. Roy would ask if you were compensating for something, but I already know you're insecure about your height." Ed folded his arms, and glared at her. Her smirk softened into a genuine smile. "May I go, now? I figured you'd be glad to see me go."  
"I still have questions for you," Ed snapped. "You can't go."  
Her eyebrows furrowed and she suggested, "Let's do this elsewhere, then. Roy might wake up." Ed glanced at Roy, fast asleep in the early morning hours. He looked back at Vera and nodded in agreement. Ed closed the door behind them, and the two of them traversed down the stairs as quietly as they could. Vera reached the creaky step and still made no noise. They stopped once they were outside, and off the porch. "Okay," Vera said, "First question. Shoot."  
"How do you walk so quietly?" Ed asked again.  
Vera frowned at the repeat question. "I'll keep track of how many questions you ask, and I'll ask you just as many questions in return. Does that sound fair?" Ed rolled his eyes impatiently and agreed. A little happier now, she explained, "I practiced when I was little the quietest way to walk on different surfaces so I could sneak away from my house. There's a little alchemy involved, too. Next?"  
Ed wasn't exactly satisfied with the answer, but moved on anyway. "How do you know Roy?"  
This time, Vera hesitated. The last time she answered this question, she had received a negative reaction. If she could avoid mentioning Maes, maybe it would be better. "When he was about to graduate from the academy, we met. I was pretty little. We just kept in contact after that." Ed's bewildered look asked for elaboration before he opened his mouth. "I was visiting a mutual friend. Our mutual friend was a friend of my family's and I wanted a second opinion on something. Next."  
Her brusque tone at the end made Ed curious, so he had to inquire. "Who was it?"  
"Who was what?" she repeated, trying to feign misunderstanding.  
"Your mutual friend," Ed elaborated deadpan. He wasn't standing for that.  
"Maes, okay?" she answered impatiently. "I don't like bringing it up with people who knew him better than I did. They get so..." she trailed off and exasperatedly finished, "emotional! Roy was on the edge of tears, so I didn't want to bring it up around someone as unpredictable as you." She shook it off, and folded her arms, eyebrows furrowed. "Next question."  
Ed thought about her reply for a minute, and decided his next question. "Why keep in contact with Mustang? It sounds like you didn't talk to Maes at all."  
At this question, Vera blushed and smiled a little. "I was little. I had a crush on him, I guess. I think he was humoring me, until it just became habit. As for not talking to Maes..." She thought carefully, but couldn't take too long before Ed would get impatient. "He was a family friend, and I didn't see the need to put effort into talking with him. I had assumed it would happen naturally." She was impressed with herself at the smoothness of the lie.  
"What language was that, when you told me your specialty?" Ed asked next.  
"Oh," she said softly, as if she hadn't expected that question, "I don't know."  
Ed blinked in surprise at her. "Then why use it?"  
She shrugged. "Because I knew it and it sounds fancy."  
Ed murmured, "Huh," thoughtfully. He hadn't expected that. "You've dabbled in... forbidden alchemy. Haven't you." It wasn't a question. Nor was it quite an accusation. She met his hard gaze without sheepishness, completely unflinching.  
"Yeah," she replied, and informed him, "I'm counting that as a question."  
Ed didn't care, so he went on, "What was it? The situation."  
She stared at him, unmoved, but spoke carefully. "It's my belief that kids are naturally not assertive or aggressive. I was particularly not violent. When I had an issue, I didn't even consider the obvious violent solution. I turned to alchemy, and asked for what seemed like the one thing that would make everything better." She sighed, and licked her lips. "I guess that's vague enough to be anyone's answer, though. Next question."  
Ed decided that was enough. She'd given an answer, and he knew from experience that it was an extremely personal and traumatizing thing to revisit. He moved on, and inquired this time, "So what did you give, in exchange for human transmutation?" Ed clenched his metal fist as he spoke. Even Izumi Curtis had body parts removed. This girl seemed perfectly healthy.  
"Nothing," she answered flatly. Again, not what Ed expected.  
Flabbergasted, he argued, "That's impossible. I mean, the only way..." he trailed off and stared.  
She tilted her head and suggested, "The only way to do that is with the philosopher's stone." Their stares didn't break. She could see the horror and disgust hidden by surprise and curiosity in Edward's expression. "I got it from a tutor at school," she explained. "I don't think it was quite... perfected. But yes. I misplaced it sometime during the 'accident.'"  
"What... How many 'darker' alchemical studies have you participated in?" he asked.  
"Just Matilda's," she replied.  
"How dangerous are you, with that knowledge?" he murmured, expressing wariness in his body language.  
She sighed again, obviously getting tired of the questions, "Very, I suppose. If I put thought into it, I could rot your overactive brain right now. But that's human transmutation." She let her arms swing at her sides. Her eye caught a glimmer of sunlight and she glanced at the horizon. When had the sky gotten so blue? She looked back at Ed and smiled, urging him to continue.  
"You've hinted that you've studied many things, including fighting," Ed began, "What do you mean, you've studied fighting?"  
"I've read about wars, studied how to fight, practiced fighting, tried my hand in battle tactics," she listed off easily, still in an almost bored manner, checking off on her fingers. "I wasn't interested until I was a little older. I've never really used it before, though." She shrugged. "Next?"  
Ed wracked his brain for all the questions he'd wondered since he met her. It was a long list, and some of them had gotten lost in the piles of memories he had, from books he'd read to his impressions of other people. "The Colonel said you were in the military, a State Alchemist. How did that happen, and why did you retire?"  
Vera shifted feet, this time more because she was getting bored, and answered, "I was an alchemist. Roy 'discovered,'" she used air quotes there, "me, and I took the test. I needed money pretty badly at the time, so any job would do. I was the Muscle Alchemist, for my heavy study on martial arts, and my focus on life and anatomy." She paused, excused herself, and sat down cross-legged, her chin in her hand. "I quit - which is a goddamn hard thing to do - because I couldn't handle the trauma, or the attitude at work, or the restrictions... It wasn't for me. And I was pretty useless, too." She looked up at him and requested, "Next?"  
Ed folded his arms, and shifted his feet as well. "You don't even need to clap your hands before you use alchemy. How?"  
Vera beamed at this question, dropping the piece of grass she was tearing up. "Isn't that interesting?" she asked excitedly. "I've been trying to figure that for years," she answered, and put her hands on the ground. Blue light shone, and the grass took the shape of a toy duck. "Seeing the Gate - you know what I'm talking about - gives people an understanding of alchemy so deep, I suppose, that they needn't use a circle." She grabbed the duck and examined it quietly. She picked up after a second, "Or else it ingrains some kind of universal circle into your body somehow. I've only been able to speculate that the philosopher's stone had something to do with my... peculiarity. Enhanced everything, somehow." She tossed the duck to the side and looked back up at Ed expectantly. "That's all I got on that one."  
Ed looked down at her and frowned. Somehow, she was so disarming. And it infuriated him. He also ran out of questions. "So you can fight," he said at last. She met his gaze and shrugged. "Let's see about that," he murmured. "Get up, and try me." She obeyed reluctantly, and once on her feet, did not take a stance. Ed braced himself, though.  
"I'm not much for sparring," she said, eyebrows furrowed, "and you're injured."  
"Don't punch my stomach," he told her impatiently. "Just come at me." She sighed, and went for the first punch. Ed ducked, but it was a feign, and her leg swooped under his to knock him onto the ground. He jumped, however, just in time, and landed. Their proximity was suddenly very close, so Ed went to elbow her face. She grabbed it, inches from her face, and spun him around to get him in an armlock, but he swung with her and rolled out of her grip. They stood with some distance between them. "Not bad," Ed muttered.  
"You're amazing," she praised him with a genuine smile. He grunted, and moved in for a punch. Vera blocked it, a small 'hn' ripping through her lips in surprise. Ed tried to punch with his other hand, and she stepped sideways, aiming her own fist at Ed's face and using his momentum against him. He ducked, though, missing her punch by an inch at least. Before she could regain her balance, Ed kicked the back of her knees, and she landed with a soft "oof!" on her stomach. He pinned her down.  
"You aren't exactly good, though," he observed. His statement was rendered moot as she smacked the back of her head against his face. Or tried to. He leaned back, releasing some of the pressure on her arms. She used both of their momentum to flip over. Ed inhaled sharply as she landed on top of him - not that she was too heavy, but he was wounded.  
"But everyone's fallible," she responded to his statement as she hopped to her feet lightly. "Being silent as I move is also part of being not heavy, making your automail not ideal." Ed got to his feet as she spoke, and glared at her. She observed gladly, "Though it does give you an advantage in a fight regardless of weight."  
A shout from the porch made them turn their heads. "Breakfast is ready!" Winry and Seth stood on the porch, waving cheerfully at them. Vera and Ed exchanged glances. Ed still wasn't sure if he trusted her, or even liked her yet. She still was keeping secrets, but so was he, and they seemed just as dark as his own. Well, he could be civil.  
"We'll put this spar on hold, then," Vera told him, smiling gladly, and ran onto the porch. Ed followed, finding a grin gracing his own face. Everyone piled into the kitchen, Ed and Vera sitting across from each other. Conversation picked up quickly, Roy asking what they were doing outside. Ed answered, and the subject moved along to martial arts, from Vera's performance to choice of weapon. Vera didn't speak throughout breakfast.  
"What would you prefer to fight with, Vera?" Al asked, looking for a tie-breaker. Ed preferred knives, while Al leaned towards a spear. Vera glanced at Ed, who watched expectantly. He wanted her to answer. Warmth spread in her chest as she realized she was being accepted.  
She answered easily, "They both have their advantages. They're both light. Knives are more easily concealed, though." Ed stuck his tongue out at Al. She went on surprisingly, "However, spears are more multipurpose. It's much harder to block with a knife than with a spear." Al raised his eyebrows and smirked smugly, while Ed glowered at him. "I guess it depends on the situation," she decided at last. "Normally my go-to weapon is a light polearm."  
Al laughed at Ed, who stubbornly pouted. "See? The spear is better!" He did a jolly jig in his seat, and continued to eat. Ed, upset that no one agreed with him, inhaled his breakfast as quickly as he could. But then something occurred to Vera.  
"You can't carry a spear around with you, though," she said suddenly. "A normal person wouldn't have the choice of a spear, in that case. And not everyone knows how to use one anyway. So I guess small bladed weapons win for practicality." Al's jaw dropped, and Ed froze. He swallowed his mouthful and grinned gleefully at his crestfallen brother. Seth watched curiously, unsure of what to make of all this talk of weapons.  
"I swear you're all barbarians," Winry teased with a sigh, "All this talk of fighting."  
Roy spoke for the first time that morning, "I'd prefer alchemy over weapons."  
Ed rolled his eyes and exclaimed, "Of course you would. Your specialty is fire! You can just combust everything!" He threw his hands in the air, and shook his head.  
Roy leaned back and raised his eyebrows. "Yeah? And which would you prefer?"  
Ed narrowed his eyes and admitted quietly, "Alchemy."  
"Alchemy," both Al and Vera agreed simultaneously. They shared a surprised glance, and laughed at the coincidence.

The three of them left the Elric household that morning feeling good, practically glowing with good food and good-natured banter. Ed, Roy, and Vera piled into the car, Vera by herself in the back and Roy behind the wheel. The car started and they went on their way. They were all quiet for a while, lost in their own thoughts, or just enjoying their remaining glow.  
Vera broke the silence at some point during the drive. "I never got to ask you questions in return," she said leaning forward so Edward could hear her. Ed grimaced at the mention, but he had agreed in his haste to let her ask questions. "I have fourteen questions. Ready?" Ed sighed, and hummed in agreement. "What's your favorite color?"  
Ed turned around, and looked at her, bewildered. He didn't expect that. "Red, I guess."  
Vera kept grinning, and inquired, "How old are you?"  
"Twenty five."  
"Is Al older or younger?"  
"Younger."  
"Are you single?"  
"...Yes?"  
"How did you get into the military?" she asked, still as cheerful. Ed hesitated, changing gears from quick and easy answers to something more in depth. He wasn't sure if he wanted to get into everything right then, but he had to answer, since she had answered all her questions. Even if some of the answers were cheap.  
He answered at last, "Mustang discovered me, like you. I needed the information available in the military, so I joined. And even if Mustang is a bastard, I do like my job, so I kept it." He glanced at her, and found her smile was becoming unnerving.  
She asked this time, "What kind of music do you like?"  
His eyebrows furrowed as he responded, "I don't really listen to music."  
Her voice suddenly dropped and she leaned in close to whisper, so Roy couldn't hear, "How did you get to see the Gate?"  
Ed didn't answer immediately. At first he looked at her as if she was crazy, but hadn't he asked the same question? He looked out the window thoughtfully for a moment, and spoke without regard to volume. "We were children, Al and I. We tried to bring our mother back from... the grave." Brief, to the point, unlike hers which had been long-winded and vague enough that she didn't really answer his question. But words weren't his forte, so he decided to be concise. Roy shot an alarmed glance at Ed and then at Vera. Vera was no longer smiling, but a little somber.  
"What about your dad?" she asked quietly.  
Ed shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and folded his arms. "He was never around."  
"Oh," Vera replied soft enough that it was almost a sigh. "Do you think Seth will follow in Al's footsteps, and become an alchemist, or his mother's, and become a mechanic?"  
"I think he'll make his own footsteps," Ed speculated, "It's kind of impossible to tell now."  
Vera leaned forward, excited again, and asked, "What does your dream girl look and act like?" Ed stared at her again, bewildered. Again. Yet another question he hadn't expected, or even really thought about before. At the look, Vera apologized and added, "Or boy, if that's what you prefer." Ed sputtered at this, and shook his head vehemently. Vera caught the smirk on Roy's face.  
"No offense to homosexuals, but I would not ever look at a man like that." He wrinkled his nose at the idea. "My dream girl," Ed began, emphasis on the 'girl,' "would be smart, I guess. I never really think about girls too often, so..." He sighed and finished, "She'd be pretty, too." He looked at Vera for her next question, and found her eyebrows raised incredulously.  
"So your preferences are smart and pretty," she clarified. "Sanity isn't a factor. Nor is how annoying she is. So you'd be fine if she was homicidal, whines a lot, and yells at you all the time." She didn't say it like a question, but as a statement. At the description, Ed immediately thought of Winry.  
"Well she wouldn't be those things, either," he said, exasperated.  
Vera nodded and listed off, "Doesn't whine, is relatively sane and calm, but is pretty and smart."  
Ed nodded as well. "Yeah. Four questions left."  
Vera hummed thoughtfully before questioning, "Were you part of that escapade when Central was under attack, and the Gate opened up, and the Fuhrer died? The fiasco with that crazy 'Father' guy?" Ed looked at her, this time with a worried expression.  
"Yeah," he answered, "That's why I was dubbed the Hero of the People. And also why I can't use alchemy anymore. Were you living under a rock or something?"  
"Pretty much," Vera confirmed cheerfully. "What's your favorite thing about your job?"  
Ed shrugged at the subject change and answered, "The information I have access to."  
She grinned and inquired, "What about your least favorite thing?"  
Ed didn't hesitate. He didn't need to think about it. "My boss." Roy glared at him, and he glared back. Vera watched, amused, and glad. It felt natural around those two. And Ed was opening up to her, even if half her questions were joking. Edward finally prompted her, "Your last question, Vera."  
"Right," she muttered, and thought long and hard about it. Actually, it took her just a moment to shrug and admit, "I don't have anymore questions." Ed didn't have any complaints about that, and the ride back to Central was relatively quiet.

"This is ridiculous," Ed groaned in despair.  
"Deal with it," Roy snapped.  
"I was nice to her, and everything... but I don't like this," Ed mumbled.  
"I thought you were warming up to her," Roy replied.  
"I wasn't," Ed snapped back.  
"Too bad, she's already hired as your assistant. She'll be helpful," Roy defended her.  
"I still don't really trust her. How can I work with her?" he whined.  
"Don't know, don't care. This is your chance to find out if she's trustworthy anyway."  
"If I don't see her, there's no reason to find out in the first place," Ed retorted.  
Roy looked up from the papers on his desk and glared. Ed glared back from his position on the couch, his feet on the table. They were back in Central, Hawkeye standing behind Roy, and everyone in their usual positions. The rest of the team was outside, in the outer office, minding their own business and doing their work.  
"Go get her," Roy ordered Ed harshly, "and introduce her to the team. Now."  
Ed ground his teeth together. He hissed, "No. I don't like this."  
Roy looked back down at his papers as if Edward had agreed cheerfully and had already left to obey his orders. It was essentially the same thing when he heard the soft click of Hawkeye's gun. She must have trained it on Edward, because he muttered a moody 'fine' and got up. When he left, however, he found he did not need to fetch her. Or introduce her.  
There, in the middle of the room, Vera stood talking easily with Havoc, Breda, Feury, and Falman. She laughed when Havoc spoke, and started talking in response to Feury's observation. Ed watched this in shock for only a moment, before he approached them. Breda spotted Ed first and greeted him, "Hey. I heard this is your new partner or assistant or somethin'. Is that true?"  
"Yes," Ed grumbled in admittance. "Well I have research to do in the library, so..." he trailed off.  
"Okay, I'm coming," Vera said. "Bye, guys." The team said their own goodbyes as she followed Edward out the door. Ed, still exasperated by the prospect of a partner, trudged down the hallway grumpily. Vera noted his mood, and tried not to be annoying with her own happiness. So she refrained from humming, whistling, swinging her arms, twirling, hugging, greeting everyone they passed, and smiling excessively.  
It was a very difficult walk to the library.  
Once they got there, however, Ed told her as they walked around the library searching for books, "I research in an alcove with a few tables near the librarian's office. I was last researching something boring, but since you're here, and I should know more about you, I want to understand some of the more recent things you studied with Matilda. I don't want to go too deep, but the basics would be nice. If you could find anything to help me with that, please bring it to me."  
"Got it, boss," she replied, and tossed him a boy scout salute before bounding off to some other corner of the library. Ed shook his head at his predicament, and skimmed the volumes before him. He moved on with the next aisle, unsatisfied. There, he found a few things relevant, and brought those to his table. He seated himself, and flicked through the first book. Interesting, but not what he wanted. He opened the other one.  
That was when Vera came back, smiling apologetically, with five books under one arm and three under the other. Ed looked up and raised an eyebrow when she plopped them down on the table. She explained, "These five should cover basic theory, and these three have examples and explanations of the simpler circles. I figure you're a genius, so they aren't the basics. I'm going to find something to read myself." And with that, she headed off by herself.  
Ed reached for the top book on theory, and flipped it open. Immediately, he itched for a notebook. He, thankfully, brought one, so he whipped it out and took scribbled notes. He was absorbed in the material by the time Vera came back with her own armful of books. She seated herself at a different table, and opened her first book. They spent the day in silence.  
Hence why they both broke out of their trances at the end of the day, when Ed's stomach growled loudly. His head snapped up at the sound, while Vera blinked, finished her note, and then turned to Ed. He grinned, and she laughed quietly.  
"Time to eat?" she asked. She glanced at the clock on the library wall and answered her own question. "Hell yes." She closed her book, and stood up. Edward had already done so, and left a note on his table demanding that the books be left alone. Vera didn't care one way or the other, so she left the table alone, and followed Edward out the door. "Should we compare our notes sometime?" she asked.  
"Sometime," Ed agreed, "but for now, I'm starving."  
Vera faltered. This was Ed's personal time now. "Well, tomorrow, then," she said.  
He turned to her, confused. "You aren't hungry?"  
She blinked at him, and both of them stopped walking down the street. The technical answer was no, but she was never hungry after doing nothing all day. Her mind was too preoccupied to care about food. However, she recognized that, and would make herself eat anyway. Instead of saying that entire thing, she answered, "Yes, but you're probably heading home after. I don't want to intrude on your personal time when you don't really like me."  
"I like you," he assured her nonchalantly. "Now, come on. I won't be able to afford my entire meal, so I need someone to split the bill." She smiled and chuckled before following him into the restaurant across the street. It was a pub, but it obviously served meals or Ed wouldn't have been there. Ed made eye contact with the bartender, and they seated themselves in a booth. "So what did you find today?" he asked.  
"Oh," Vera murmured, placing her bag next to her on the seat. "I was refreshing myself on old topics. You?"  
Ed raised an eyebrow at her and answered, "You should know. What's in that bag?"  
Vera grinned and said, "If I answer, I add it to questions I can ask you." He shrugged. He didn't have much to hide anymore. She answered, still smiling, "Emergency things. A sweater, first aid things, a notebook, water, matches." Ed hummed. He hadn't expected that, but he hadn't really expected much, so he was impressed she was so well prepared. "Anyway," she went on, "I'd like your take on the books."  
They were interrupted, however, when the bartender arrived. It was a slow evening, with only one man at the bar, and an old guy eating his dinner. "What can I get you guys?" the bartender asked, her hip resting against the table.  
"The usual," Ed ordered.  
Vera requested, "Can I just have water for now?" The bartender nodded and walked away.  
Ed frowned. "Just water? So you aren't hungry."  
She smiled and replied, "For now. I'll be hungry in a few minutes. So the books?"  
"Yeah," Ed said, and exhaled loudly. "It was interesting. The passage of time itself can be confusing if you think too hard about it, but I kept thinking about your experiment with Matilda. To increase the speed at which something grows, you'd literally have to take everything into account. So many things could go wrong. Your circle must have been littered with symbols." He exhaled, and rubbed his eyes. "I'm really tired."  
"We don't have to talk if you're getting a headache," she offered gently.  
He looked up at her sharply. "How did you guess?"  
She shrugged. "I've had enough of them to guess."  
So dinner passed by in silence. Days turned into weeks. Weeks into months. Reports were dreaded when they realized nothing fruitful had turned up. The few days not spent in the library were short, uneventful investigations that only brought frustration and boredom. Summer passed quickly, and autumn, too. Winter passed, and the holidays were spent at office parties with drunk coworkers. Ed returned back to Resembool for a few days, albeit reluctantly. Vera took those days to relax at home, after assuring all her coworkers that she was okay by herself and didn't have any family to visit. The temperature began to change, subtly enough that people expected the snow to disappear, but still huddled in coats and scarves.  
It was one of those chilly mornings when Vera arrived, chilled to the bone, in Roy's office. Edward hadn't been at the library, so she decided to check the office. Cheeks cold and rosy, she pulled off her hat. She hadn't gotten a haircut in a while, so her hair standing on end from static was a bit shaggy, and several inches longer - enough to touch her chin. To her surprise, the only people in the outer office were Falman, Feury, and Hawkeye.  
"Hello," she greeted the room, "Does anyone know if Ed has stopped by here?"  
Hawkeye looked at Vera for an uncomfortable moment before she said, "He's in a meeting with the Colonel. Feel free to interrupt them." She left the room brusquely. Vera looked at Feury and Falman for an explanation of her behavior.  
Feury explained, "They're giving Ed the annual talk about girlfriends. Hawkeye can't stop them most years, so she tries her hardest to interrupt them and give the Colonel proverbial hell." Vera laughed quietly about the situation. "Personally," Feury added, "I think they should leave him alone. It's his business, and every year he comes out fuming."  
Vera grinned widely. "Should I interrupt, then?" Feury turned pale, but shrugged. She tip-toed to the door and put her ear to it. She couldn't quite distinguish the conversation, but there was a noticeable commotion inside. So she pushed the door open with a flourish, and flashed her devious grin at the men inside. She was surprised to find Havoc and Breda inside as well, although it made sense because those two were nosy.  
Ed stood, frozen, his eyes glued on her. Mustang stood with one foot on the coffee table in a triumphant stance, while Havoc and Breda were on their knees, presumably admiring him. This would have been weird about six months earlier. They froze when she opened the door immediately, and she took the opportunity to greet them. "Hey, guys. Is this terribly important? Ed and I have a lengthy agenda today."  
Roy's eyes flickered, and he approached her calmly. "Yes, that'd be perfect," he murmured to himself. Vera saw the despair flash in Edward's expression, right before Roy exclaimed, "Vera! You, my dear, are perfect! Young, intelligent, beautiful bordering on gorgeous, relatively sane and sensible! You are Edward's perfect girlfriend!" Throughout the entire speech, he flailed about, pointing at her, then Ed, and making grand gestures. So Vera understood Ed's horror.  
She interjected, "I know you're very concerned for his well being, but you seem to have forgotten that he's my boss."  
"Very well," Roy agreed solemnly. Then he resumed his presumptuous, pompous attitude and exclaimed, "You're fired!" Vera let her jaw fall to the floor, while Ed smacked his forehead in embarrassment. Still, Roy continued to talk, "It's sad, I know, but for the sake of young love and Edward's health, you must sacrifice something. It's worth Edward's happiness." He finished his superfluous dance by resting his hands on her shoulders.  
She ducked out of his reach, and grabbed Edward's hand. "Let's go, Ed." She began to pull him out of the office, but the doors closed, and they stood facing three men grinning like maniacs. "Come on," she sighed, "we're busy today. What will it take to make you let us go?" Each set of eyes gleamed at the question, and she nearly regretted asking, even though she'd said everything on purpose.

And so, with their demands clear, Ed found himself being scrutinized by five sets of eyes. How the six of them managed to fit in Edward's studio apartment was really beyond him. Havoc and Roy had ransacked his closet for appropriate clothes for half an hour before they finally came out with a sealed dusty box from the far back of the closet. Inside, they found those 'appropriate' clothes. He found himself less than comfortable, let alone happy, to wear those clothes, or have his coworkers stare at him and judge his appearance.  
"It's good," Roy decided at last. He held out a mirror, but Ed ignored it and looked down at himself. The red turtleneck seemed like overdoing it. Or maybe the dark dress pants. "Maybe it's a bit too casual," Roy retracted his statement, and glanced Ed up and down again. Feury disagreed. At that point, Ed tuned them out and examined his face in the mirror. His hair was in a ponytail, but otherwise he didn't look too different. And his boots had been replaced, as well.  
"Who's taking care of Vera's outfit if all five of you are here?" Ed grumbled.  
Roy grinned and answered, "Vera's a girl. She only needs one consultant. So we sent two."  
Ed rolled his eyes and muttered, "Just for the sake of overkill." He spoke louder and asked, "Do you guys have the fucking restaurant picked out, too?" On one hand, that would be cool. He wouldn't have to bother thinking about it. On the other hand, it was probably some stuffy place with meals that took up one fourth of a plate that was ten times more expensive than if he'd gone to his favorite pub and actually ate real food.  
"Of course not," Havoc answered, managing to sound offended, and added slyly, "but we do have a list of places in the city." He pulled it out as he spoke. "We circled the ones that accommodate you and Vera the best." He slipped it in Edward's hands, while Roy and Feury picked at his clothes. Falman, the entire time, simply sat at the kitchen table and said nothing. Ed skimmed through the restaurants, not recognizing a single one. There was one circled. Helpful.  
"How long do you guys plan to stay here?" he asked, exasperated.  
"Until you get back," Roy and Havoc leered in unison. Ed wanted to smash his face into Roy's nose. Maybe these yearly events would cease. "Remember to be polite," Roy reminded him, as if he was speaking to a child. "She's a woman. Treat her like a person, then a princess, then a greek goddess. And then a person again."  
Ed shook his head. This was just ridiculous. Suddenly, all five of them, even Falman, were throwing advice at him, from all the offensive things not to say, to the right way to look at her so she didn't feel neglected or uncomfortable. All the while, he could only think about how he was on a date with Vera. Of all people, he was the least concerned with her opinion of him. After he thought that through thoroughly, he wondered about the place. He couldn't go to the pub. They went there every day, practically. He couldn't drive, so it had to be in walking distance. And it couldn't be one hundred percent shabby. He could do that.  
A sharp knock rang through the apartment, and every man in the room froze. Ed tried not to roll his eyes again, lest they get stuck looking up. He weaved his way through the crowd of coworkers, and opened the door, glad to get away from those monkeys. He stopped short when he saw Vera. It was more out of surprise than anything else. The dress was black, and the collar dipped low between her breasts. The skirt was cut slanted, showing more of her right leg than her left. Red jewelry hung at her ears, and around her wrist, and shone at her neck. And her eyes looked bigger, her lips more colorful. She held a black jacket with fur on the inside.  
"Ready?" Ed asked, exhaling loudly afterward.  
"Whenever you are," she replied, admiring the way his sweater clung to his muscle, the same way he was impressed the dress clung to her hips. Ed closed the door behind him, and they walked down the hallway in silence. Once they reached the cold outside air, however, and they pulled on their jackets, they woke up a little and smiled at each other. "You look handsome," Vera commented. "I saw the entourage in your room. They did a good job."  
Ed huffed, and reminded her, "They do belong to me."  
She just grinned. "Hawkeye and Winry did a number on me, but I guess they must have been better. They warned me we would be watched." Ed wanted to stop and throw a tantrum, but that wouldn't be productive at all. So he shook his head. "Where are we going?" she asked suddenly. Ed grimaced at the question.  
"How do you feel about that homey looking place between the elementary school and the library?" he asked after a moment of thought. She smiled at him and agreed. They walked in silence for a few minutes more while the snow fell on the street around them. "I'm sorry they brought you into this," Ed apologized. "I think they do it for their own amusement more than my mental capacities."  
"It's fine," Vera responded happily, "I'll enjoy this for sure."  
"You don't have to force yourself," Ed tried to assure her.  
"I'm not," she replied honestly. "I'm sure I'm going to have fun."  
He agreed, "Uh huh. It's still over the top for me. They even cut my hair."  
Vera laughed gently, and exclaimed, "Me too! We're just a couple of recluses."  
"Oh," Ed said softly, "I forgot. They said I should touch you sometimes. How would that be appropriate right now?" She glanced at him, glad the cold excused her red cheeks. When she didn't answer immediately, he insisted, "They're watching, and they give me hell when I don't do what they suggest, so if you would please bear with me."  
"Hold out your arm," she murmured. He obeyed, watching curiously, and she wrapped her arm around it. "Relax," she ordered him. He let it fall to his side, and she clung to him lightly. Ed smiled at her, glad she was going along with it. She managed to smile back. "Comfortable?" she asked.  
He answered, "Actually, yeah. I'm not used to being so close to someone, though."  
She replied reluctantly, "I guess that's good." He hummed in agreement, and they crossed the road, to a small warm looking building with soft orange light spilling out the windows. They entered the restaurant with their arms still hooked. The place was just as warm as it looked, and they stood only for a moment or so before a hostess appeared to bring them to a table.  
"Evening," the hostess greeted them, all smiles. "Table for two?"  
"Yeah. Can we get a booth?" Ed requested.  
The hostess nodded and said, "Follow me," grabbing a couple menus on the way. She brought them to the back of the restaurant, and placed their menus on the secluded table. They sat across from each other, naturally letting go of each other. "Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked. It looked like a slow night.  
"Water," they both ordered in unison. Vera allowed herself to smile, and Ed raised an eyebrow. The hostess walked off, and they removed their coats. "So," Vera said, not sure what to say. "Is it appropriate to talk about work, I wonder?" she murmured, drumming her fingers on the table. Ed shrugged, and looked out the window at the falling snow. Vera looked down at her menu and examined it. "We're splitting the bill, correct?" she asked.  
Ed sighed heavily, so she peeked up from her menu. Jaw clenched, he answered, "No. It's on me." She raised a single eyebrow and looked back down at the menu. Thankfully nothing was terribly expensive. The hostess came back with their water then, and put the glasses on the table.  
"Do you need more time?" she asked.  
Vera closed her menu. "I'm ready. Ed?"  
He sighed, and ordered, "The grilled steak."  
"I'll have the pasta special," she said, handing back the menus.  
Ed also asked, "Can we have the wine menu?" He flashed his pocketwatch. The hostess walked away and returned quickly with the menu. Ed glanced it over.  
"Should I come back?" the hostess asked.  
"Yeah, with the Brunellos," he told her, handing back the menu. She nodded and left them wordlessly again. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. It was nice, she decided. If Edward would start a conversation, it would have been perfect. However, she was content with the silence and the occasional sip of water. The silence continued even until their dinners were brought out, along with the wine. Once the hostess disappeared this time, though, Edward spoke. "I've been thinking about this for a while, and... we're both pretty comfortable around each other." He cut a piece of steak with his despised manners. "So I've been wondering... what happened when you attempted human transmutation? You never told me straight how it happened."  
Vera raised an eyebrow, and swallowed her pasta. "What a topic to bring up over dinner." She twirled her fork in the spaghetti and watched it swirl thoughtfully. "My mom didn't stick around when I was little, kind of like your dad, I guess. My dad wasn't too nice to me. I could have kicked him, told an adult I was being neglected, or thrown a tantrum." She shrugged. "I didn't. Instead, I grabbed a piece of chalk and prayed to God that my research could somehow change who he was. Drew it under his bed, activated it while he was sleeping. I passed out at the blood and carnage. End of story." She took another bite, not quite as hungry for some reason.  
And for some reason, all Ed could come up with, was, "That's a bummer." She almost laughed, except he'd said it so seriously, so solemn. It was, indeed, a bummer. So she agreed quietly. "Thanks for telling me," he said after a moment, "It means a lot to me." She replied with a quiet 'no problem' and kept eating. "I wish you had come with me to Resembool for the holidays," Ed said a little louder, changing the subject, "Seth was asking about you constantly."  
They passed the meal away with banter, and talk about Ed's family. Vera enjoyed talking about his family, since they were people she'd come to know, and it was a mutual subject that did not make her feel self-centered, and it warmed her heart to think of them. Alphonse was always so happy and accepting. Winry was probably the most animated, and strong-willed, but charming somehow. And Seth was... well, a child, and therefore irreplaceable and adorable.  
They went through quite a bit of wine, unintentionally, by the time the hostess gave them the bill. Vera paid for her half naturally, without thinking about it. As they stood, pulling on their coats, Ed asked, "Did Hawkeye and Winry go home?"  
"They should have. I might bite their heads off otherwise. Why?" Very replied, burrowing in her coat.  
"Can I stay over your house?" he requested, his eyes pleading. "The guys said they won't leave my house until I come home, which means they're..." he trailed off and glanced at the clock. He picked up, "They'll be asleep when I get back and won't leave until morning. If the girls aren't at your house, there's no reason not to, right?"  
"It's just the first date," Vera teased, grinning. "We haven't even hit second base." She let that sink in, and he flared bright red for a moment. She answered before he could think of something intelligent to say. "I guess you can, if you want to avoid them that much. It will only give them the wrong idea, though." He frowned, and weighed his options. Nothing really seemed like the better choice, and she had already agreed. He might as well.  
"Yeah, let's go to your place," he decided out loud as they exited the restaurant.  
Vera agreed, "I like that idea, too. My place is closer." She shivered in her jacket, and again hooked her arm with Ed's, clinging for warmth. She also liked being close to him, even if she couldn't feel his muscles through his coat. The warm smell of ginger and butter assaulted her nose when she leaned in a little. It was refreshing, and made her chest warm. He'd tried to smell good for her. But then she told herself she was being a girl, and not to fawn over his unintentional decisions.  
They only spoke once throughout the walk, when her apartment building came into view. She said, "I know you didn't like this, Ed... but I enjoyed myself. Thanks. Can we do this again?" Ed let a confused noise escape his lips. She repeated herself. "Can we do this again?" He thought about the implications of the question, and then remembered enjoying himself as well. Quite a bit, actually. She was really nice company, and she was really nice to look at. His stomach fluttered when he thought of doing this again.  
"Like a second date?" he asked. She nodded. "I... Sure," he agreed. "I liked this, too."  
Vera sighed and murmured, "I really like you, Ed."  
He mumbled even quieter, "I like you, too." She heard, and squeezed his arm. The broke away as she pushed the way inside her building, and they made their way to the second floor, and then to her apartment. Ed didn't really know what to expect of her apartment, but the millions of books did not surprise him. Instead, the neatness of the place did. It was almost like no one lived there. Vera closed the door behind him.  
"Take off your shoes, please," she requested, removing her own. Ed obeyed, and walked further inside. He walked into the kitchen, and into the bedroom. The only door around had to have been the bathroom. The only thing that looked used was the bed, which was not made. "I'm really tired," she said, "so I'm going to sleep. Are you going to share the bed with me, or take the floor or the love seat?" After smelling the indescribable scent of her hair, and feeling herself press against his arm on the way home, Ed was not going to say no to sleeping close to this beautiful, intelligent woman.  
He watched her climb into bed, still in her dress, but obviously not caring about it. And he followed her with a sigh. His head hit the pillow, and her hand curled around his, while his arm rested around her waist. He inhaled the scent of her hair again, and felt goosebumps. "Will you be my girlfriend?" he murmured.  
"Definitely," she whispered, pressing against his chest. They fell asleep that way.  
The guys gave them hell at the office the next day.  
But hey.  
They loved each other.


End file.
